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Taoism and Linux

Since early December (2001) I have been
reading 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, by Deng
Ming-Dao. Reading the book was sort of Linux-inspired, and the
meditation for January 17 made me think a lot about Linux and Linus
himself.

When I was on the Linux Lunacy cruise last October, I was
talking to maddog's cabinmate Jon. (Yup, two Jons in the same
room--fortunately we can call one of them maddog.) Jon had studied
comparative religions and knew little of computers. I had been
casually looking at various religions, and at that time, I was
reading about Buddhism.

I mentioned this to Jon, and he said that he had "been into
Buddhism" for a while but saw Taoism as a better fit for him. While
I knew of Taoism I didn't know anything about it, and we talked
some more. The very simple explanation Jon gave me was Taoism isn't
really a religion but more a way of life. You didn't have to
worship in a prescribed way; rather, you should live your life in a
good way.

Being the kind of person that likes alternatives (Linux being
a good example), I was interested and picked up a couple of books
to find out more. 365 Tao was one of the
books, and reading the daily meditations has become part of my
daily routine.

In the book there is a page for each day. On that page you
find a title with the Chinese character(s) that describe it,
followed by a short description and then a discussion. For January
17, the title is Cooperation, and the description is:

Cooperation with others.Perception, experience,
tenacity.Know when to lead and when to follow.

This immediately got me thinking about the evolution of
Linux. I could give you many examples where this philosophy has
been the secret ingredient that has made Linux evolve in an organic
fashion. I can also give examples where individuals and companies
have strayed from this track and, as a result, have really strayed
from the Linux community.

Getting on the discussion part of the page, it starts
with:

When we become involved with a fellowship, we
must gradually become an integral, organic part of that
organization. The relationship will be one of mutual influence: We
must carefully influence the collective, and in turn, we will be
shaped by the company we keep.

The page ends with:

True leadership is a combination of initiative
and humility. The best leader remains obscure, leading but drawing
no personal attention. As long as the collective has direction, the
leader is satisfied. Credit is not to be taken, it will be awarded
when the people realize that it was the subtle influence of the
leader that brought them success.

This made me think of Linus. The first time I met him was at
a party at John Martin's house, outside of Washington, D.C. When I
arrived, Linus was talking to a small group of people who had done
work on the Linux system. Eric Youngdale was one and, I think,
Donald Becker was another. There were maybe six people in
all.

What immediately struck me was that Linus was not leading the
group, he was an equal participant. Here was the person who had
managed to get hundreds of programmers, many of whom he had never
even met, to essentially work for him for free, and he wasn't being
"the boss". I quickly realized that was the secret to his success
and the success of Linux--the ability to influence without having
to command.

The other times I have "hung out" with Linus, I have seen him
take the same position. I have seen him shy away from situations
where he is put into the spotlight. On the other hand, he is always
an active participant in any discussion, not leading but certainly
participating.

In another 320 days I will know if 365
Tao should be added to the recommended reading list for
those who want to become an integral part of the community.

Book Information

Title:365 Tao:
Daily
MeditationsAuthor: Deng
Ming-DaoPublisher: Harper
CollinsISBN:
0-06-250223-9Price: $16.00 USDThis
book may be purchased from
Powells and other
bookstores.